Biometric markers are increasingly being used in various industries as a secure and convenient way to authenticate individuals. Biological markers, such as, for example, fingerprints, blood vessel geometries, facial features, iris patterns, retinal patterns, and voice prints, are read by biometric scanners for controlling access to services or locations. These biological markers are seen as more secure and convenient than passwords or Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) for remote authentication of individuals or keys, keycards, or identification cards for local access or identification.
Biometric data are seen as more secure than other methods of authentication because the initial onboarding of data is currently accomplished with a device known to the authenticator, after the individual has already proven their identity by a secondary means. Once a biometric is stored and trusted, it may be used repeatedly on the device without the individual needing to remember passwords, patterns, or multi-factor authentication systems. Additionally, biometric markers are less prone to exposure via social engineering than other access control means. However, as biometric data are beginning to be used for remote logins, and as data breaches begin to spread knowledge of individuals' biometric markers, the security and convenience of biometric data as an authentication factor is under threat.